Sugar Shack Witch Mysteries

They say you can't go home again... oh, if only that were true. Thanks to a series of unfortunate events-and one backstabbing frenemy-home is exactly where I'm headed. Back to Winterspell Lake, the small community in Eastern Washington where magic runs rampant and humans are outlawed. Faster than you can say hocus pocus I'm unpacking my bags and settling into the guest room of my parents' house, trying to ignore the creeping sensation that I'll never break free again. The one thing Winterspell has going for it is the sweets shop in the center of town, a bakery filled with magical creations designed to enchant the tastebuds and charm even the pickiest of connoisseurs. Luckily for me, I get the friends and family discount since my parents own the famous Sugar Shack. If I want room and board I have to frost cupcakes and sling macaroons with the rest of the fam. Unfortunately, things in Winterspell aren't all sugar cookies and rainbows. According to the local news, a dangerous sea serpent has claimed the lives of three missing girls. The journalist in me has to have a look for myself, and what I find is something far more deadly. Something that makes me wish I'd stayed in the bakery.

Christmas in Winterspell means ice skating, hot cocoa by the barrel, and frosted gingerbread houses. I was almost looking forward to it. The merriment screeches to a halt when two elves show up, claiming to have been sent by Santa himself, on a mission to track down an ancient grimoire. A grimoire with the power of Christmas itself woven through the pages. Without it, Christmas isn't happening, and Santa himself is in grave danger. Could Winterspell hold the key to saving Christmas?

The witch who can talk to animals meets the witch with a talking cat. What could go wrong? It's Valentine's Day in Winterspell, but not everyone appears to be feeling the love. And no, I'm not talking about my date-less self. Instead of being wooed by candlelight, I'm working in a candle shop. Cora Hearth, Winterspell's magical chandler, has teamed up with Sugar Shack to create party favors for the lucky couples, and they're counting on us to spark some magic for their special night. So, when a thief breaks into my delivery van and swipes the goodies, Cora and I - and her persnickety talking cat - have to join forces to track down the culprit in time to save Valentine's Day.

The pen is mightier than the sword-but what's a witch to do when she has writer's block? After landing my first official journalist job I thought the ideas would be spilling out faster than I could type. But it turns out life in the shadow of my debut piece is a little . . . make that a lot, harder than I expected. So, when a convicted murderer reaches out begging for help in proving her innocence, I jump at the chance to dig into another investigation. The only problem? This trail is ice cold. I don't want to give up on a good story, or let down a witch desperate for my help, but I'm not sure where to turn and I'm running out of time. Will my last ditch effort pan out, or will I be forced to give my editor a blank page?

Shamrocks, rainbows, pots of gold, and . . . one irate leprechaun. Spring has sprung, and I'm finally getting out of town with my monster-hunting boyfriend. However, our cozy little rental cabin in the woods turns out to have a serious problem-an angry leprechaun infestation. Before we can get back to our romantic rendezvous, we have to prove we didn't steal a magic hat. Piece of cake, right?

A romance book festival comes to Winterspell, but not everyone is feeling the love. Small-town journalism isn't exactly a thrill ride. Between PTA meetings and bake sale bulletins, I was drowning in monotony. But when I begged my editor for a juicier assignment, I should've been careful what I wished for. Enter the Summer Lovin' Book Festival. BOGO deals on paperbacks with a side of beefcake, as five hunky models vie to become the next Captain Riker Bones, the shirtless swashbuckler adorning Grandma Rose's favorite bodice-rippers. Sure, a little eye candy never hurt anyone, but ten minutes of watching grown women cry over washboard abs has me wishing I'd volunteered to write up the waste management ordinances instead. But when one of our would-be pirates turns up dead in his hotel room, my puff piece transforms into a full-blown murder mystery. And the plot thickens faster than my family's famous buttercream when a poison-laced cupcake from Sugar Shack is found at the scene. Now I'm racing against time to catch a killer, clear my family's name, and keep Grandma Rose from sailing into the sunset with one of the wannabe pirates. Someone pass the rum.

Danielle Garrett presents the Sugar Shack Witch Mysteries, a paranormal cozy mystery series filled with magic, mystery, family squabbles, sassy heroines, and a mysterious monster hunter-all with a little sugar sprinkled on top.